


Nothing As Queer as Albion Street

by Diana_Prallon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternative Sexuality, Boys' Love, Drama, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by..., Magic Revealed, Multi, Pining, Queer as Folk, Romance, Smut, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-05
Updated: 2013-02-05
Packaged: 2017-11-18 01:08:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/555201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diana_Prallon/pseuds/Diana_Prallon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is a manwhore and his best friend Merlin has always helped him with everything, but when Arthur meets an special fling, everything changes between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Sometimes you get a good Thursday. Sometimes you get a boxed up Thursday. Sometimes you get a shitty Thursday. This Thursday was_ mental _._

_Thursday used to be 70's Night in Camelot, but now that's changed - now Thursday is 90's Night - which makes you feel old, thank you very much._

_I hadn't copped off, Lance hadn't copped off... But Arthur... Arthur had copped off. He always did._

 

* * *

 

"Hey! Merlin!"

Arthur had just opened the Phone Box where he had been snogging some bloke and ran after his best friend.

"Where are you going?"

"You copped off" said Merlin, shrugging.

"You still gotta take me home. Wait for me in the Jeep. 10 minutes! I'll just get his phone number!"

"While he swallows your cock?" asked Lance, laughing.

"10 minutes!" pleaded Arthur, and Merlin just nodded.

Arthur smiles before he leaves, and Merlin doesn't even look back, he just knows Arthur had already ran back to the phone box with the random bloke.

"So, he brings the car, gives you the keys, so you can't drink because you have to drive but he can just have the fun. It  _is_  a good system" says Lance, laughing.

"I don't mind" Merlin answered, and they both knew how true it was. Lance looked back for a instant.

"He is still looking" says Lance, and Merlin shudders.

"I don't care!" he claims, but he looks back anyway. "He's all muscles. I don't fancy muscles. He does his things all... Harrison Ford style, while I do mine Norman Wisdom."

Lance laughed at that, and clapped his friend in the back.

"I did a muscled guy once" he confides. "It was wonderful. Like playing in a bouncy castle."

They both laughed, still going for their cars, as Arthur was still inside the phone box with a cute bloke.

 

* * *

 

_Sometimes you are in the middle of a shag and you just get bored of the guy, so you just masturbate him until he's finished off already. Because you gotta keep looking - that's why you go out. There's always a new guy, a better guy, a new fling, and you've got to find it._

_That Thursday was the day he finally showed up - the one night stand that never goes away. And it changed everything._


	2. Chapter 2

Morded soon learned that the hard part of going out alone was that he had nothing to do and no idea where he was supposed to go. Albion Street was well known as the gay center of the city, full of clubs and bars where no one cared about who you slept with as long as you were willing to sleep with them. Everyone and anyone were welcome to join the never-ending party that the street presented.

Even in the early hours of Thursday morning it was full of life. Some of the clubs were already closing, while the bars were still full on the business. There was always a large number of men wandering the streets, mostly in pairs and small groups, talking and laughing. Mordred wished he had someone with him, so he would be able to fit in more easily. But it was still his first time out – out of the closet, out in the night – and he had no idea where he should go.

He just watched for a long time, his hands nervously stuck inside his jeans' pockets, not sure about what he should do. It took him a while to gather courage, and when a much older man came around; he cleared his throat and talked to him.

"Hey… I was just wondering… Where is the best place to go to have fun?"

The old man looked at him, seemingly disgusted, his eyebrows twitching, before answering.

"It depends on what you want. If you want morons, you go that way. If you want bastards, go the other way. If you want piss, tattooed cocks, bondage and drugs, then you can bit any building, it's full of those everywhere!"

The man sounded completely pissed off, and he walked away leaving Mordred stunned. A middle aged woman ran after the man, screaming at him:

"Don't listen to him!" and, afterwards, to the old guy, "Come on, Gaius, it was just a t-shirt…"

Soon both had disappeared in the middle of the crowd, and Mordred wasn't feeling particularly eager to go anywhere after such a display. He just stood there, looking around, and found a cigarette in his pocket – the nice thing about smoking was that you always felt as if you were actually doing something even when you were just looking around.

It was his first time out, and he knew he couldn't expect much. He was ready to call it a night and think of a plan to come back another day when  _he_  appeared. Tall, blond, perfect and checking him out.

His first night out, Arthur Pendragon was there.

* * *

 

Arthur was ready to go home – the guy he had been snogging (Derek? Daniel?) had been a total waste and this was going to be one of the rare nights he came back alone to his flat. It didn't happen often, but there were nights like that, when bringing the guy back home wasn't worth it. He could already see Merlin inside his jeep when a boy caught his eye. He was still young, but a charming thing, with huge blue eyes dominating his face. His hair was dark and his skin so pale that almost glowed by the street lights, reflecting the crazy colors of the bar signs.

He couldn't help himself – when he realized it, he had already given the boy  _the smile_  and was walking towards him. It was pure instinct, as natural as breathing, and when he faced the boy he noticed how tall he was – taller than him. He smiled again, charming.

"Are you having a good night?" he asked, politely.

"Yes…" said the boy, a bit uncertain.

"Did you find something you liked?" said Arthur, all cockiness.

"Maybe" was his answer, but he smiled at Arthur. On the corner of his eye, he could see Merlin watching him.

"Wanna go back to mine?" said Arthur, point blank. He knew he was that good.

"Ok" was all the answer he got. Although well built, the boy seemed to be shrinking with uncertainty.

As he led the boy towards his flat, he looked back to Merlin, gesturing to him a victory sign. He saw as his best friend hit his head in the wheel, almost not believing what he saw before he was out of sight.

He checked the boy out one last time before calling the cab and he knew it would be worth it.

* * *

 

Merlin had nothing else to do but go home. He didn't like driving, but it was useful when you were tired, and he really was glad that he didn't have to fight for a cab that night. He parked the Jeep in front of his tiny house and saw that there was a car behind him. It was the muscled bloke again, the one that had been eyeing him all night. He sighed, wondering why he had insisted when Merlin hadn't given him attention at all, and left the car.

The guy was looking at him, smiling. He was tall, broad, and would be considered cute by most, at least if he shaved. Merlin wasn't into bearded guys  _or_  muscled guys, especially pushy ones.

"Hey" he said, trying not to sound annoyed. "Look, I'd love to spend more time with you, but it's late and I'm on the early shift tomorrow…"

The guy just smiled at him.

"Won't you invite me inside?" he said, tilting his head. "It's raining."

If there was one thing that must be written all around Merlin's face was that he was a very nice and polite guy, because that was exactly the kind of thing that would make him invite someone in. They walked into his tiny house, and the guy started looking around his things.

"Oh, I used to watch it" he said, looking at the Doctor Who shelves. "It scared the living crap out of me."

Merlin just smiled, nodding. He wouldn't have guessed the guy was old enough to have seen much of Doctor Who, but if he could fall head over heels for it to the point of crying himself to sleep for a week when it was cancelled despite being only eight, the guy could have been into it just as early in life.

"Do you have any porn?" asked the guy, and Merlin put his hands in his pockets.

"Not much" he said, shrugging. "Not my thing."

The guy nodded, and he started to feel deeply uncomfortable.

"Yeah, it doesn't really matter. It's already late."

Which was one of the many reasons Merlin didn't want him to come, but he didn't say that. Instead, he bit his lip and looked at the man.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Gin'n'tonic?" asked the guy, before looking deeply at him again in a way that made Merlin blush. "I don't think I asked your name."

"Merlin" he said, and he hated it, every time he had to have this bit of the conversation.

"Merlin?" questioned the guy, laughing. "Well, I suppose it could be worse. You could have been Gandalf."

"Or Oz" he agreed, making the drink.

"I'm Oswald" said the man, smiling.

He gave him the glass, avoiding contact, but as he turned around, an arm pulled him close.

" _Accio Merlin_ ", he teased, and Merlin felt like rolling his eyes. He heard this kind of joke too often.

Oswald wasn't anything if he wasn't eager. He turned Merlin around and kissed him deeply, and for the first time that night, Merlin wondered if he wasn't wrong about not wanting Oswald to come in.

* * *

 

Arthur walked into his house, sure and natural, and Mordred tiptoed after him. It was a large loft, and he could see the double bed behind a glass wall. Arthur opened the fridge and drank some water, while Mordred had no idea what to do or say.

"Nice house" It was the only thing he could come up with. Arthur smiled at him for a bit before turning some of the water on his head, "lots of space." The man walked toward him, smiling, and he couldn't say a single word. He just watched as he got close.

"So, Mordred… Are you coming or going? Or are you coming and going?"

Arthur had a cocky smile in his mouth as he reached for Mordred's jacket. The boy walked out of it, but the man's arms were almost around him. Arthur looked up for a bit and kissed him, wildly, and Mordred answered it eagerly. He had never kissed a guy before, and it felt completely right, as Arthur's tongue explored the whole of his mouth, his hands lifting his shirt.

They both walked to the bedroom area in a tangle of limbs, and soon Arthur had Mordred completely naked on the bed, while still having his clothes on.

"What do you like?"

Mordred blinked once before answering.

"Hm… Pizza?"

"What do you like in bed?" specified Arthur, his right hand coming up and down Mordred's cock.

"Oh… This is fine".

It was more than fine, it was intoxicating. He could hardly think as he felt Arthur rough fingers against his skin, and the man smiled at him.

"Do you like rimming?"

"Yeah" he said, although he wasn't completely sure what the man was on about. It must have showed, because Arthur laughed out loud. The phone ringed, and Arthur reached to answer it, still moving his hand up and down Mordred's cock.

"Hey."

Mordred couldn't stop looking at him – his perfect face, baby blue eyes, golden hair, broad shoulders, and strong arms. He was wonderful to look at, and he was amazed at his skill, the way he managed to go on with what he was doing while talking on the phone.

"Of course I was out. No, my phone died. Shit! When did that happen?"

He couldn't pay much attention or wonder what the hell the conversation was about. He could hardly think, trying hard to control himself, not to come, it was too soon…

"Fuck sake, did you have to?" asked Arthur rudely as he saw Mordred's cum coming through his hand. He cleaned himself against Mordred's chest and came back to his conversation. "Oh, no, it's this kid, he just jerked off on me. I don't know. What's your name again?"

Mordred didn't even have the time to feel shocked, answering automatically.

"Mordred."

"Oh, Mordred, say hello to Morgause" he ordered, putting the phone against Mordred's ear.

"Hello?"

Soon enough Arthur had the phone back.

"I'm going to get ready and then I'll go over."

Arthur turned the phone off, walked out of the bed, and Mordred was completely sure that he would never have lose a bigger chance than this.

* * *

 

Merlin and Oswald were still kissing when the phone rang. Merlin stopped right away, turning to the phone.

"Can't you just leave it?" asked Oswald, holding his hips. Merlin felt tempted, but as the sound crashed the hair for the second time, he shook his head.

"It will only be a moment."

He answered the phone, not surprised to find Arthur on the other side.

"Merlin! It happened!"

"Oh My God!" he exclaimed, his mouth completely open. "When?"

"Tonight" said Arthur, and Merlin could hear him walking around and gathering his things. "You'll have to bring the Jeep…"

This was the exact moment Oswald chose to open his belt, and Arthur heard the sound.

"Do you have someone over?"

"No" said Merlin, feeling somewhat ashamed.

"Oh, Merlin, you don't need to! You've finally copped off!"

"It's nothing" Merlin said, "Who was there?"

As Oswald took out his shirt, Merlin saw that he wasn't muscled after all – he wore a tight shirt that made him look stronger. Merlin was deeply grateful that he was on the phone and could pretend to be talking.

"No one, just them!" said Arthur, just as Merlin repeated "Oh My God!"

Oswald kept on removing his clothes, and as the magic shirt was lifted, Merlin saw that his chest was closed to breasts, and his belly would allow him to make an Absorbaloff cosplay.

"Oh my god" he said, horrified. He heard Arthur say something about getting a cab on the other end, but didn't even notice it. "I'm on my way."

He turned the phone off, and looked at Oswald, his face a mask of worry.

"It's my friend's mom. She's in the hospital. They figure it's bad… I'm afraid I'll have to go."

Oswald's shoulders fell.

"Crap… I was looking forward to this!" he said, and he really looked so.

"Yeah, so was I", said Merlin, shrugging. "Maybe some other time? I really have to go."

Oswald picked his things fast enough, and five minutes later Merlin was turning the car on. He could hardly believe that this day had finally come. Full of anticipation, he drove to the hospital to meet Arthur.


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin was reaching the Hospital doors when he saw Arthur getting out of the cab – but he wasn't alone. The young boy he had picked up earlier was following him, and Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Did you have to bring him?"

"Most important phone call of my life, he was there! I couldn't leave him. And you wanted to come, didn't you?"

The boy nodded, and there was something about him that made Merlin feel deeply uncomfortable, in a way none of Arthur's other one-night-stands had ever done before. He merely shook his head and followed when Arthur broke into a jog inside the hospital, running towards Elaine's room.

Merlin was amazed when he walked inside. The girls were gathered around Elaine, who had a newborn in her arms and the biggest smile in her face as Arthur walked in. Even from the door Merlin could see his golden curls, matching his parents. By her side, Morgause stood looking softer than usual.

Arthur's face showed how awed he was, as he should be. A baby – a true, living, breathing, baby. Sophia was sitting in one of the chairs with Vivian on her lap as she started speaking.

"We were talking… Of course it's up for you and Elaine to decide in the end… But we thought Percy."

Arthur snorted.

"Is it supposed to be ironic? In a very Arthurian kind of way?"

The girls giggled, and Morgause merely nodded.

"Then it's not ironic enough. It should be Amhar."

"Too dark" complained Merlin. "Arthur killed Amhar in the end."

"Don't you dare" said Morgause, and there was danger in her eyes, and Arthur merely agreed.

"What then? What do you think,  _Mer_ lin?" Said the man, looking at him.

"Llaheu is too much. Why not Gwydre? Oh, I know! Gwydion! That's how they used on Mists of Avalon!"

"Fair enough" said Arthur, looking at Elaine. "You  _are_  practically my sister." He tilted his head. "You are not a secret lesbo wiccan priestess, are you?"

They all laughed, as Elaine shook her head.

"I like Gwydion", she said, smiling. Arthur caught the baby in his arms and turned to the boy, who was still hanging by the door.

"What do you think? It's mine."

"Cool" he said, his voice weak. Elaine big brown eyes looked at the boy for the first time, inquisitive, and then she turned to Arthur.

"Oh, this is…" begun the man, and then he seemed lost. Merlin puffed, this was typical of Arthur, bringing along some random bloke whose name he hadn't even cared to learn.

" _Mordred_ " said Morgause, annoyed. She hated when Arthur did those things, but he only smiled. She never forgot a name, let alone an Arthurian one. It felt like a bad omen to Merlin, but, then again, neither Morgause nor Morgana had ever meant any harm, despite their names.

"Oh, yes, you met on the phone already."

Vivian looked at the boy, judging him, as she always did.

"Isn't a bit late for him to be out?"

"Leave him alone, Viv" said Elaine, always sweeter than the rest of them. Merlin didn't think much about Vivian, but he was with her on this one.

"Don't you have school tomorrow?" she pressed on, while Sophia joined:

"How old are you again?"

"Eighteen" said the boy, and Arthur snorted again, while Morgause showed her disapproving smile to the boy, while Sophia pressed on.

"Really?"

"Seventeen" said the boy, clearly uncomfortable. If Merlin wasn't such a good person, he would laugh at the scene. Being pressed by a room full of lesbians was hard on anyone.

"What year were you born?" asked Morgause, slowly and maliciously in a way only her was capable of.

"Ninety five?" said the boy, stammering a bit.

"Bullshit, no one needs to think about the year they were born in" she said, while Elaine looked at them horrified.

"Not in front of the baby."

"Ninety-seven" he confessed, finally, and Merlin laughed a bit.

"So you both had children tonight" pointed out Morgause, smiling at Arthur, that smiled back, not bothered at all.

For a while, Merlin watched as Arthur cuddled baby Gwydion in his arms, adoringly, while the girls cooed, Morgause gave her evil grin and Mordred squirmed near the door. Then, Arthur was sitting beside Elaine and looking into her eyes, full of despair.

"Elaine, what the fuck did we do?"

* * *

 

Mordred was more than a bit overwhelmed. He could barely keep his head around the things he had to carry back to the hall. He stared at the machine, wondering how he was going to take three cups along with all the snacks he had been asked. It was an impossible job. He moved everything around to be able to carry it and spilled more than a bit on his pants while he walked back to the waiting room.

Sophia was doing some sort of psychic thing with Merlin, but both turned around as soon as Mordred reached them. Arthur was on the phone with someone, talking in falsely happy voice.

"Yes, I'm sure she'll love them. I'll tell her. Bye!"

As Sophia and Vivian unloaded his hands, Arthur was raging.

"Bloody Cendred, he sent her flowers! I should have sent her flowers." He didn't even look to Mordred as went on. "Mordred, here, get some flowers as fast as you can!"

Arthur turned around on his heels, heading for the stairs, his cellphone back in his hand.

"You can't use that, you'll turn off the artificial respiration system" complained Merlin, following.

"We should have a cigar!" was Arthur's reply, and they were both out of sight.

Morgause was leaning on the doorway, looking at him.

"You don't have to do as he says" She reminded him, smirking.

"I don't mind" said Mordred in a small voice.

He turned around, coming back through the corridor. He hadn't seen any flowers in the shop, and there was no way he was going to find a florist in the street at three in the morning. Arthur had given him twenty pounds for the flowers, and he pocketed them, wandering through the long rooms, full of sick people.

It took him a while to find a worthy bouquet that lay in the bedside of an ancient looking bloke. He was asleep, and there was no one around, so he tiptoed near the bed to get the flowers. As soon as he had pulled them off the vase, the man opened his eyes and turned on his bedside lights. Mordred didn't even think about it, he just ran, wildly, crossing to the other side of the hospital with them clutched tightly in his hand.

* * *

 

Merlin was hardly surprised that Arthur had gone until the top of the hospital. It was the perfect place to be when everything seemed too much – it made you feel very small. You could see the whole city from up there, even his mother's house, which was saying something. Arthur just kept walking, and stopped at the edge of the building.

"It's weird" Merlin finally said, breaking the silence. "I mean, it's brilliant, but it's weird." Arthur still didn't say anything, but he could see the tightness in his shoulders that meant he was still stressed out and trying to deal with the fact that he now had a son. "I mean, he's  _real_. With little fingers, and toes, and  _fingernails_ "! Merlin knew he was babbling, but it was hard for him too, to deal with the sheer reality of the baby.

"The most expensive wank I ever had" said Arthur, finally. Merlin had no answer to this, and Arthur looked around for a second, before finding a bit of something that led out of the ceiling and into the air. He climbed it quickly, walking as far as he could, before Merlin's voice stopped him.

"Good. That's how they do it in soap operas – a birth and a death in the same episode. Perfect." Arthur didn't walk further, but he was already in the middle of the air, stepping in a thin line of concrete that supported the metal holding the hospital's name tag. "Stop that" said Merlin, this voice firmer than he could have hoped for. "You have to be responsible now,  _dad_."

Arthur came back, jumping easily on the hospital ceiling. His hand reached for Merlin and he took him to the edge of the building again, making him step out and face the great fall.

"Arms out" called Arthur, spreading his arms. "Come on, like that", he said, reaching for his arm and balancing him, his hands intertwined with Merlin's, before shouting. "I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD! KING OF THE WORLD!"

His voice seemed to echo through the whole city, and Merlin laughed as a young girl.

"I'm  _always_ Kate Winslet!"

Arthur laughed with him, and he turned around, embracing Arthur. He held him close for a while, both safe in the circle of their arms, before whispering.

"Congratulations."

He nuzzled Arthur head for a second, and touched his face softly, before letting go. Arthur gave him a smile that soon became a wicked grin as he held Merlin through the hips and rubbed himself against him.

"OH, MERLIN! A hard on! I didn't know you cared!" Merlin felt as if he could die of embarrassment in that exact moment, but Arthur didn't care. "Come on, there's no one watching, put it out!"

"Shut up" he said, moving away. "It's been six months. It's like Pavlov's dogs! I'd react to a  _girl_."

Arthur laughed and cupped his face, putting his forehead against Merlin's.

"You are a sad bastard" he said, and let go of Merlin.

Merlin took a moment to compose himself, feeling awkward and completely used although Arthur had acted as he usually did – somehow, it just felt wrong. And, for the first time, he agreed with Arthur with his whole heart: he was a sad bastard with a sad life.

* * *

 

Arthur could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins as they walked back to the maternity ward. He had done it, even what he had always thought he could not have because of who he was. He had never felt so alive – every bit of him seemed to shake with different emotions. Merlin was walking beside him, but they were silent: no words could possibly be appropriated.

A male nurse came walking towards then – a pretty thing, blond and a bit skinny, with a strongly masculine face underneath the super-sized hipster glasses. Arthur had drunk him in one go, and the nurse giggled as they passed each other. It made him turn around, checking his backside out, as Merlin pulled his sleeve.

"Not now."

He gave his cutest grin to Merlin, and then put his hand in his pocket, reaching for the paper bag.

"Do you want some?" he asked his friend, who frowned.

"You don't do that shit" Merlin said, a bit shocked, looking at the pills.

"I've gotta try."

"You shouldn't do this. You have to wake up early in the morning, go to work, and work your ass off for the next twenty years to pay for your child."

That was exactly what made Arthur try it – he didn't have the time for it latter, not anymore, and if he didn't try things now, he'd be too busy to try it afterwards. It was his last day as a single, irresponsible, man. Afterwards, he'd have a child to look after.

"More for me" he said, taking both pills at once. Merlin shook his head, disapproving, and Arthur chuckled. He should have known that it would only lead him to do it, and yet, he had said the words. As he reached the waiting room, Mordred was still there with the girls, looking like a scared puppy lost among the wolves – which was exactly what he was.

"We're leaving" he announced, waving to them.

Merlin would be driving; of course, there was no question of him driving after taking ecstasy. Mordred sat in the back seat, and Arthur jumped next to him. Merlin merely looked at him through the rear mirror, but he didn't even pay attention – he knew he was taken care of.

They were just two blocks from the hospital when he begun to giggle, and turned to Mordred.

"You see, that child, it is a clock… It's staring me in the face. You see, all it can do is growing older, that's what they do, and it means I'm  _old_. Before I know, I'll be an old man. And he will be there, glowing, all young and shiny, like you" he nudged the boy, that merely looked at him. "But they don't always live. Meningitis, it would be a good one. Maybe I should have called him Amhar…"

"That's not E" said Merlin, looking at him through the mirror. "You only took it a few minutes ago. What was that?"

"Anne sold me" he said, shaking his head. "It's good."

"You  _twat_ " Merlin said, still looking at him. "You don't even know what it really was!"

Arthur could just giggle, and Mordred gave him a somewhat condescending smile. He was a pretty thing, high cheekbones and deep blue eyes under a mop of dark hair. He had such a pretty jaw, and looked incredibly fit, although a skinny kind of fit – it was alluring. He reached for Mordred and kissed him, deep and slowly. He could see how eager the boy was, and it was such a turn on, he couldn't stop creeping one of his hands under his sweater and pulling the other to his crotch.

A part of him was aware that Merlin could see it through the rear mirror, but it didn't matter – actually, it made it better. He pulled Mordred closer, nibbling his ear and rubbing his lower lip through his neck, and heard him panting as his hand grabbed Arthur harder. It was exactly what he was looking for, and as he bit his neck, he could see Merlin watching them. It only made him pull Mordred even closer, almost in his lap, full of desire – and a truck's horn broke the moment, as the car pulled to the side abruptly.

"Let him alone" said Merlin, his tone concerned. "I'm taking him home."

"He's coming back with me" said Arthur, pouting. "Aren't you, Mordred? Tell him!"

"Stop messing around" said Merlin, but Mordred interrupted him, being assertive for the first time in the night.

"I'm going with him."

Arthur gave his biggest grin to both, rubbing Mordred's head.

"Good boy."

It was going to be a good night, he could feel it.

* * *

 

Merlin was tired, but he still couldn't sleep. He lay on his couch and put a DVD on, letting his pants loose. He really needed that right now – he felt like he shouldn't, it wasn't the right thing to do, and yet, it was exactly what he was about to do.

He turned the TV on, ready, waiting, and relaxed as it begun to play – the familiar images, the familiar music, and he was already feeling better – the tension was leaving him quickly as he repeated the familiar words.

"Jackie, it's the TARDIS!"

* * *

 

Mordred had tried some things before, but he never knew it could feel so  _good_. Arthur seemed to be everywhere, and it was intoxicating. His fingers, his hands, his lips, his torso, his cock, everything seemed to touch him at once. He let himself be guided, kissing back as hard as he could, touching everywhere, partially sure that he was dreaming.

It just wasn't possible that it could be so easy – everything seemed to come to him as an instinct, touching, sucking, nibbling, kissing. It just  _happened_ , following Arthur's lead. He felt the shivers when Arthur rubbed his lower lip through his entire spine. He allowed himself to be turned around, his legs spread, pulled into Arthur's lap, all while he spoke, easy and dirty words, exclamations of pleasure, promises and teasing.

"I want you to always remember this" he whispered, as he pushed himself inside Mordred, slowly. "So it doesn't matter who you are with, you'll always remember this."

Mordred gagged the pain and excitement being almost too much for him. He squirmed under Arthur, but the guy just soothed him with his hands, moving so slow it made him burn for more. Mordred moved his hips up and Arthur grinned.

"Will you ever forget this?" he asked, and Mordred panted before he could answer.

"Never."

"Good", said Arthur, and pushed himself inside one more time, filling Mordred and it was heaven and hell – it hurt as nothing had ever hurt, but it also made him tingle in every single place in his body. It didn't stop either – Arthur was moving, his hips against Mordred's, his hands moving up and down Mordred's cock, smiling wildly as he did it. It seemed to be an eternity and not nearly time enough when he came again, his body tightening around Arthur, while he moaned so loud it would have shamed him if he only still could notice anything other than the pleasure ripping through his being. The man came as well, his body arching, but the smile never left his lips.

He fell over Mordred, still inside, still panting, and still kind of smiling.

"I love you so much right now" Arthur said, weakly.

And the thing is, Mordred believed him.

* * *

 

Arthur woke up on the following day with the alarm clock ringing. He could feel a body in bed with him, and he hit it with the pillow before even opening his eyes.

"Get up, I gotta work."

As the light stopped blinding him, he saw the flat – the walls were full of drawings, and things written.

"FUCK" he screamed, getting up. He couldn't believe it. "What the hell is that?"

Mordred set on the bed and chuckled – it was the first time he had seem the boy amused.

"It's a sex map" he explained, and things slowly started making sense to Arthur. "You drew a map of every place you ever had a shag."

"WHY DID YOU LET ME DO THIS?" he asked, annoyed, getting up. He could see Denmark on one of the living room walls that represented most of Europe, while the bedroom wall showed England in detail. When he walked into the living room, he saw that his fur carpet was rolled over one of the side tables, which were upon another table. "AND WHAT IS THAT?"

"It's the space needle" said Mordred, still smiling. "You said he met this guy…"

Arthur gestured him to shut up, walking to his fridge. He drank some of the water, before complaining.

"It's the pens, you should have gotten rid of the pens!"

He used cool spoons to make his eyes look less swollen, as Mordred walked to the living room.

"Can I have a shower?"

"Yes, but hurry up", he said, looking for the phone. Merlin would have to bring the car to him really fast. The answering machine was shining with new messages, and he hit play, wondering what he had missed. Morgause's voice filled the room.

"Arthur, everything is fine. Elena is having contractions, but I'm driving her to the hospital."

And then, it hit him.

"FUCK, I HAVE A BABY."

He could hear Mordred's laugh from the bathroom, as he ranted angrily. "Why did I do that? Someone should have stopped me…"

He walked to the bathroom and found Mordred already in the shower. He looked gorgeous as the water dripped through his body, and Arthur decided to stop worrying and simply act. He walked into the shower, joining Mordred with a smile.

Soon enough they were snogging wildly, all thoughts of work and babies forgotten.

* * *

 

It wasn't the alarm clock or the phone that woke Merlin up – it was the distinct sound of vandalism. He jumped out of the bed and looked out, and saw two kids messing up Arthur's Jeep. He ran outside as fast as he can, screaming.

"STOP THAT. I'M GOING TO CALL YOUR MOM."

"FAG" screamed the boy at him.

"We  _saw_  you" said the older, not yet ten years old. "You disgusting poof!"

They ran away, while Merlin just looked at them. It hurt more than he could say – he could talk to their parents, but they had learned that kind of crap somewhere. He could go to the police, and they would help and be nice, but inside they'd be saying the exactly same things. It made him feel tired of his own pathetic life – it was all a lie, all the ads and all the campaigns and all the politics to say they weren't a ghetto, that homosexuality was accepted. It wasn't how it happened in real life; it was just some fantasy, an ideal world represented by Albion Street and its clubs and bars, its tolerance and acceptance.

He looked at the car, barely registering the damage they had done – it was nothing compared to what they  _would do_ once they were older. He heard the phone ringing inside and came back, not surprised that Arthur wanted him there  _asap_ – everything was like that with Arthur, always on his timetable. He went to the shower wondering why the hell he had to rush to meet Arthur.

When he arrived in front of the flat, Mordred was still there. Merlin didn't even had the energy to feel annoyed as Arthur screamed about the mess the boys had made.

"I told you. If you don't want it to happen, don't leave the car with me" he said, shrugging. Mordred looked thoroughly well shagged, and Merlin envied him a bit. Arthur hopped into the driver's seat, and Merlin banished the boy to the back sit of the car.

"We're taking him to school" announced Arthur, and he knew it had nothing to do with Arthur being particularly kind to his flings – it was more of the opposite, in Merlin's opinion.

When they were arriving, Merlin tried to dissuade him.

"Drop him here."

"I'll take him to the door."

"They will see the car" said Merlin, tired, knowing that this was the whole point.

"Let them look."

He drove as a possessed man, not caring about the children walking in the middle of the street, hitting the horn and moving on as if no one would ever not open passage to the King of Albion Street. He was such a twat – Merlin had no idea why he put up with it.

Arthur made a long turn, stopping in front of the school, showing the painted side of the Jeep to all those who were arriving. Mordred got off, while some boy yelled at him.

"What is this, Mordred, your  _boyfriend_?" he asked, and wasn't dignified with an answer. Mordred had only eyes for Arthur – as you do.

"When can I see you again?"

"You can see me now" was Arthur's reply, arrogant as ever. Merlin shook his head, not surprised at it.

"Oh, come on, one kiss" said another boy, and Arthur turned to him, his voice loud and heated with humor and rage.

"I'll kiss your ass, bastard, and then fuck your virgin hole so hard you won't seat for a week!"

Merlin couldn't avoid a grin, and Mordred just pointed at Arthur with his head to the boys. He didn't seem to mind that the car was proclaiming him a queer to the whole school.

"Can I see you tonight?"

"Who knows where I'll be tonight?" replied Arthur, ready to leave. "You can see me in your dreams."

As Arthur turned the wheel to leave, Merlin grinned at Mordred:

"Do not skip domestic economics!"

He was sure he'd never see Mordred again, he was just another of Arthur's many one night stands, and would be gone soon, forgotten in an hour.

How wrong he was.


	4. Chapter 4

First thing in the morning was a meeting with a client – pants, now, that was a business that Arthur truly understood, as long as it meant pulling them off, or, at least, using them to allure someone sexually, regardless of their preferences. This was the exact reason his team had been handled that campaign, their client clearly was having some trouble into selling themselves to a generation that had seen everything before they even left puberty.

What really called his attention, though, was that one of the client's representatives seemed to not have seen enough of him. He gave his best charming smile, and gave the whole presentation – all the talk about how it had to move away from obvious sex to a slow seduction – while watching the man squirm. He knew exactly what he was doing, especially when he turned to give some of his most heartbreaking smiles to the other people watching the presentation, all while his eyes dared him to question why he wasn't the receiver of such smiles.

He really liked this game.

When the coffee-end begun, he saw the man leaving for the bathroom – doubtlessly needing some serious relieve. He gave everyone a smile, and followed. He heard his phone ringing and answered it with a smile.

"His name is Evan" said his PA's voice on the other side of the call, and he smiled.

"Thank you, Enmyria, but the information wasn't necessary" he said, without turning back.

"He's married. And has kids" she said, teasing. God, she was a wanker.

"Aren't they all?"

He could hear her laugh as he opened the bathroom door.

"Don't worry, the matter is at hands" he said, reassuring.

"I'll try and drag this as long as I can. Good luck!"

"I don't need it" he replied, turning the cellphone off. Evan was taking a piss in the urinal, and he easily took his side to do the same. He didn't bother being subtle when he actually checked him out, and could have laughed out loud when the guy squirmed not to make it clear that he was doing the same.

The man washed his hands slowly and deliberately, and Arthur stared at him through the mirror as he did so. He splashed water in their image before ending, and the way Evan looked at him made it clear that he had won this bet.

It took them less than 5 seconds after that to be locked up inside one of the stalls.

"I don't kiss" said Evan, just above a whisper, groping at Arthur's ass.

"Yeah, right" he answered, laughing, and kissed him full in the mouth before proceeding to kneel Evan in front of him, his pants undone, and ready to have the time of his life.

Such a fine morning.

* * *

 

Merlin couldn't avoid watching as a handsome bloke showed up in the supermarket – he looked amazing, and was as gay as a maypole, so maybe, just maybe, he would have a lucky meeting. He followed him through the aisles of products until the man stopped – only to be greeted by another man, who swung his arm around his hips, possessively. Merlin could literally feel his heart deflating, but it was exactly this moment that Mary chose to catch his eye. She moved her hand up and down, kind of dancing around while gesturing the two blokes, repeating their movements. Merlin couldn't avoid laughing – she was amazing. Mary had already stopped when they turned around, only to face Merlin with a look of disappointment and anger. He had no doubt they had recognized him from Albion Street – unfortunately, most people remembered such a ridiculous set of ears.

Some days nothing seemed to work as it should. They probably thought he was endorsing someone making fun out of their sexuality, but Mary always decided to imitate some costumer when she saw he was looking a bit down – it had nothing to do with them being gay or whatever. It was just her way of cheering him up. Yet, their look of betrayal had stung even deeper than the idea that he would never meet a man that wasn't either taken or a twat.

He came back to his job, not really paying attention as he walked around, trying to erase from his mind the look the guys had given him, when he was surprised by a sudden blond appearance in front of him. He moved back, his arms flailing and knocking a number of milk cans down while the woman stared at him in disgust.

The noise made every head turn to them, and he was glad that he was the supervisor – he just gestured the staff back to their jobs, and soon enough the costumers were back to their shopping while Morgause just stood there, waiting for him to finish picking up the things he had dropped.

"You do realize this is ridiculous, right?" she asked as he put the last can back into place.

"Everyone was watching" he replied, nervously.

"If they hadn't hit the floor, they wouldn't be" was the answer, and the picked one of the cans. "And I know for a fact that this is very beneath you."

He crossed his arms, looking at her.

"Yeah, and you also know that I've spent my whole life being reminded to use my  _hands_. What are you doing here? Why aren't you around your wife at the hospital?"

Morgause stared deeply at him, that way only she could do and that was so unnerving.

"Elena is fine" she replied, before moving on. "Where did Arthur pick that kid?"

"Mordred?" Merlin asked, feeling worse by the second, "just out of the club. I can't believe you came all the way here just to ask me about Arthur's hook ups."

He walked away, but Morgause wasn't the kind of person that could be walked from. She was by his side in a few seconds.

"I can't believe you didn't sense him" she said, raising her eyebrow.

He looked at her, annoyed.

"You're not telling me… that from  _all the men_  in Albion Street, he managed to get himself  _one of us_?  _Again?_ "

"He's not one of us, not yet" Morgause said, shrugging. "But it is there, the potential – or the car crash waiting to happen."

Merlin snorted at that.

"With that name and his taste for man, I'll bet on the second."

Morgause looked at him knowingly, but he refused to let it get to him.

"We should help him" she said, softly.

"No way" was Merlin's immediate answer. "I am not running around trying to find some chicken that Arthur picked up and made  _literally_  starry eyed. He  _really_  asked Arthur when he was seeing him again, that's just asking for a stalker, and then giving him the tools to be even more of a stalker."

She shrugged again, teasing.

"Cedric made it."

"Cedric developed a second personality and begun wearing leather and feathers in the same outfits" corrected Merlin, half annoyed and half amused by the memory. "Thank God he moved away."

"I hear he's called Sigan now" said Morgause, smirking. Cedric had been an unending amount of problem to them, but it had also taught them a lot, one being that Arthur seemed to be some sort of magnet for magical gay men that hadn't yet waken to their powers, and other that they could totally lose it if their first got in contact with it was after being shoved out by Arthur in the morning. "And you don't know it, maybe he already knew about it before."

He sighed, when Morgause set her sights on new apprentices, there was nothing that one could do to stop her. All he could do was hope that he was already one of Alice's children, the only other magical help group in town.

"He studies in Stonedown", he answered, wearily. "That's all I know."

She gave him one of her rare smiles – and they did freak him out much more than the smirks, really, there was nothing that could be scarier than Morgause's smiles – and left without another word. It wasn't that Merlin didn't like Morgause; they just disagreed a lot about almost everything. He had no idea how she and Elena had ever gotten together, and he honestly rather not know, because Elena was the sweetest person that Merlin had ever met, while Morgause… She was scary enough to make Arthur's older sister look tame, even though Morgana was a harpy. He would have to talk to her about this Mordred kid, surely Morgana wouldn't want them to take on tutoring another of Arthur's crazy boys – or maybe she would side with Morgause, Morgana did like a challenge.

He was still thinking about Mordred when Mary came around him again.

"Do you know this new girl? Gwen Smith?" she asked, looking annoyed. Gwen was a new employee, and was arranging the paper towels in the other end of the aisle.

"Yeah?" he said, wondering what was going on. Mary was the biggest gossip he had ever met, including all the gay man and fag hags he had ever known, and  _that_  was saying something.

"I can't stand her. She acts like she owns the place. I said, there's no King Arthur for you here, my love, and the shop doesn't go that way."

Gwen seemed to know she was the subject of the conversation, and looked to them, her eyes worried.

"Oh, I don't think so" he said, looking at the woman. She seemed sweet, as much as Elena did, although they were completely different. Gwen was graceful while Elena was clumsy, and Gwen was all dark curls and chocolate eyes while Elena was a blue eyed blond – they just exhaled the same type of kindness. "I think she's really nice."

"Ooh, I knew it" said Mary, suddenly excited. "She likes you too! Now, drinks after work, on the pub across the street, you can't miss it, and brush your teeth boy!"

Merlin could have laughed if it wasn't the most ridiculous ironic thing that no one seemed to notice that he was gay. Not that he had come out in work, he hadn't, but it had never mattered until now, he was trapped in a meeting to set him up with a  _girl_. And, although he had told Arthur that in his state of desperation he would react to a girl, he had no wish to put that to the test. Still, he couldn't say no – he couldn't just turn to them after all those years and say "oh, yeah, I'm gay". They would feel cheated and betrayed, and he really needed his staff to work with him, he couldn't risk their disapproval – specially not after they had mutinied against one of the previous supervisor because he nagged on Merlin and caused his sacking before putting their good word for Merlin to be considered for the job.

It was just drinks, he could make it.

* * *

 

Mordred was by one of the school stairs when Freya met him. She didn't say anything – they weren't known for talking. He was watching as one of the boys – Gilli – bragged about what he had done with his date the previous evening.

"She's with George, she'd never look at him" commented Freya after a while.

Mordred tilted his head, still staring.

"I'd give him one" he said, finally.

"What?" said Freya, a bit lost.

"I would" he repeated. "I'd give him one."

She considered at him for a few seconds before looking away.

"What?"

"You never said" she said, shrugging.

"I just did" he answered, annoyed.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, and he finally spoke again.

"Met his guy yesterday, Arthur Pendragon. We shagged until six in the morning."

"No way" she said, looking at him with her eyes wide. "Well, that explains the comments about you and a fag car."

Mordred smirked, and she smiled.

"I'd give him one too" she said, finally. "Except I don't have one to give."

This finally made Mordred laugh, and she joined, and they came back together for class.

It hadn't hurt, he could do this. With Freya by his side, he felt much more confident when it came to facing the unknown – or the already known that he wasn't really sure how to deal with.

* * *

 

"I can't avoid it" said Merlin's voice in the speaker. "I'm going in."

"You are a twat" said Arthur, laughing. "They are setting you up, and you know it."

"But I can't just let them down. Let's choose a safe word, as soon as I say it, you come and get me. Think of a word!"

"Twilight" said Arthur, grinning.

Merlin laughed out loud.

"Shut up! How am I supposed to put 'Twilight' into a conversation without outing myself?"

Arthur chuckled, and he could pretty much see Merlin, in his work suit that made him look as if he had stolen his dad clothes, walking with his long limbs into some pub.

"Now, I can't solve everything  _Mer_ lin." He said, grinning to his mental image. "Just don't go."

"Ok. That's it. I'm going in. Wish me luck."

Arthur couldn't avoid the curiosity.

"What is it like?"

"Everything we've been told is true!" whispered Merlin on the phone. "Well, it doesn't have flock wallpaper. But the people! They are talking in sentences with no punch-line! And they don't even care!"

Arthur laughed out loud.

"Get away!" he said to his friend. "This is dangerous, they will get you!"

"And the loo!" exclaimed Merlin on the other side. "They have toilets no one had ever made sex in!"

Arthur doubted that very much from what he knew about straight blokes, but he couldn't stop himself from teasing Merlin.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. It was a pleasure knowing you. We'll have a vigil in your memory – I'll light some candles and play American Pie."

Merlin laughed, nervous.

"I've changed my mind! Twilight! Twilight!"

Arthur chuckled, looking outside. Morgause was striding towards the car.

"Tough, the baby is here"

"This is the punishment for my sins" moaned Merlin, and Arthur laughed again as he finished the call.

Morgause opened the door to let Sophia and Vivian inside.

"Hello daddy!" said Vivian, amused.

"Hello" he answered, just mildly annoyed.

The two blond girls sat down, while Morgause stood in the outside.

"Why it took you so long? Those women who snatch babies take 30 seconds to leave!" he complained, but Morgause didn't even bother answering him, and he soon knew why. Elena was out, her hair pulled in a loose braid, her large clothes floating around as she held the baby in her arms. She was smiling – for whom it was hard to say, but she seemed so content that Arthur felt something inside him melt (not that he would ever admit it).

She walked towards them and sat herself in the back seat, baby in her arms, and Morgause took the seat beside him. One of the nurses was watching them, and for the first time, Arthur noticed that everyone around was blond and pale, and they must really look like a family from the outside. Something inside him got annoyed at the thought.

"Now, for once, drive safely" said Morgause, sternly. "You don't cut corners, you don't start a race, and you don't take your eyes off the road because some pretty boy passed by."

He rolled his eyes at this.

"You think I'm such a twat" he complained, and turned the car on. Of course, it meant that the radio turned itself on, the music pounding loudly and the baby started to cry immediately. He turned it off, chuckling, but Morgause looked as if she would kill him with her eyes alone – and he knew better than to voice this thought out loud.

The best option left for him was drive – and safely, as she said, if he wanted to make out of this alive.


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin took a deep breath before approaching the table where his work mates stood. Gwen smiled at him when he arrived, all sweetness, but it was Mary's voice that reached his ears.

"Finally! I thought it would be last round before you arrived. Come on, grab a seat."

He liked Mary, he really did, but sometimes she was so loud that he felt like he could literally vanish just from the amount of looks that people around were giving them.

"No, I'll fetch another round. Are you having the same?"

Everyone agreed on having more of the same, and Gwen stood up, cleaning her hands in her lap in a gesture he felt that was very characteristic of her.

"I'll go and help" she offered, smiling.

He would have just nodded and accepted it – tried to gracefully handle her attentions, but Mary just couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"OH, YES!" her voice boomed (when Merlin first read Goblet of Fire, he just  _knew_  that  _this_  was how Madame Maxime would have sounded). "You've met already. Off you go, young doves!"

Sometimes, he really wished he could just drop dead. He moved to the bar to get the drinks, Gwen alongside, and after handing every-one their own drink, he and Gwen sat in a table near enough the boot they were using to discourage anything more romantic from her part (except, of course, Mary would have made a party out of it and cheered until the very end, but Gwen didn't know her long enough to know that) and far enough so they could talk to each other.

And it really amazed Merlin that the conversation seemed to flow well enough. Gwen was sweet, kind, had a good sense of humor – which Merlin felt on his own skin as she teased him – and if she had one flaw was speaking brilliant things and apologizing right after them. Also it made Merlin feel very reassured that she didn't seem to know exactly how to flirt and how to deal with her crush on him, which made them spend more time having a just-friends talk.

They had been talking for almost an hour when it was Halig's turn to get the drinks, and he passed them making some kind of joke – one that Merlin didn't even hear, although he was sure it was about nerds and sci-fi – before interrupting them with a question.

"This is your thing, yeah?" he said, laughing at Merlin. Many times before he had noticed that Halig was a perfect fit for his job taking care of the market's butcher section, and it never failed to make him feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah" he said, half-hearted.

"What was his name again? Oh yes. Stavros!"

Merlin merely shook his head, correcting the man under his breath.

"Davros."

Of course, Halig didn't even listen, he just walked out still having a laugh.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Gwen was watching him closely, and Merlin just wished he wasn't such a sad bastard.

"What was that about?" she asked, puzzled.

"Nothing, really. It's just that… I'm into some sci-fi."

She looked at him as if he was a lost puppy for a few seconds, before asking:

"Doctor Who?"

He beamed at her – she didn't seem judgemental at all, merely curious.

"Yeah!"

"I don't watch it" she said, shrugging. "At home it was all about Takaway – or Britain's Got Talent. Sorry, but, there's no way I'd go with a kids show against it."

"I always tape one and watch the other" Merlin said, happily. "It's really good, isn't it? Although after Susan Boyle…"

She smiled at him, clearly happy with the subject.

"Yeah, but I think The X Factor is becoming much better" she confided, amused. "I mean, there's more emotion, right?"

He laughed at this, happy to have found someone who shared his love for singing competitions – Lance never cared, Arthur said this was way over his own 'gay cota', whatever that meant. Gwen blushed a bit, probably misunderstanding him.

"Oh, really, I think it's amazing that you watch Doctor Who. I really do. Dad was all over it when I was young. It caused the first big change in our house – he and mom argued loads over the TV when it was being aired across Coronation Street?"

"I remember that" said Merlin, and she merely smiled.

"Aren't you too young for that?" teased Gwen, and he laughed.

"Are you?"

"Anyway, dad solved it. He bought a second TV in order to be able to watch it in peace. I didn't, though it terrified me!" She said her eyes wide as tennis balls.

"I wouldn't have taken you for this kind of girl" he said, laughing, and she slapped him lightly in the arm.

"I got better."

"Doctor Who didn't" he confessed, smiling. "It still gets me terrified sometimes!"

Gwen smiled at this, before adding.

"My brother was born in the year it turned 30 – Mom and Dad actually fought over his name because of Doctor Who!"

Merlin laughed again, happy.

"He didn't want name him "The Doctor", did he? Or John just because you are Smiths?"

She laughed, denying it with her head.

"Brigadier" she confessed, laughing.

"No way!" said Merlin, torn between amazement and laughter. It wasn't such a bad choice to come in after all.

* * *

 

Arthur sat on the sofa, knowing from Elena's look that she meant business. She was a dear, Elena, so he wasn't too worried.

"We have being thinking" she said, he face serious. "I know we have agreed on most things but… I need some guarantees."

"He's my kid" said Arthur, firmly. "I'm not going to stop paying."

She smiled softly at him, nodding.

"Yes, but what if you lose your job? If you get sick? If something happens to you?"

He frowned at that.

"What exactly do you mean?"

"It's just… Anything could happen, and I really need more security – it's not for me, really, it's for Gwydion. If… I don't know… You could be run over by a car."

"Watch out for a Zetec" said Morgause, walking into the room and sitting in the arm of Elena's chair.

Arthur smirked at her, and she gave him one of her most terrifying smiles.

"This insurance covers anything" said Elena, handling him the paper.

Arthur just looked at it, feeling ill. He and Elena had known each other since they were toddlers; Uther had hoped that Elena would become his darling wife until it became clear that she was much more inclined to pursuit Morgana instead of Arthur. This smelt like Morgause all over, and he cursed the day that Morgana had introduced her tutor to their friend. Elena would never have doubted him.

"I don't see why…" he said, his forehead creased.

"You could get sick" said Elena, softly.

"What do you mean?" replied Arthur, wearily.

"We're not talking measles, Arthur" said Morgause, standing up, angrily. "You got tested, but it was ten months ago. Three hundred party nights ago. Two hundred one-night stands ago…"

"Morgause…" said Elena, softly. "I think he understood."

The witch calmed down again and set by her wife.

"It's just a precaution" said Elena, again. "I don't want your money, and I don't need it, we're fine… But if it comes to the worse… Gwydion has a whole life ahead of him."

Arthur agreed with a nod, his throat tight. He didn't trust himself to speak just now. A part of him knew that Elena had a point, but Morgause had made it very clear she didn't believe he was sane enough to take care of himself. A manwhore he might be, but he was  _safe_. Jesus! What a bitch.

"I'll have to run it pass a solicitor" he said, finally.

"I did that" said Elena.

"And is he any good?" asked Arthur, knowing what the answer would be.

"I am fully qualified" replied Morgause, tightly.

"So, I'll run it past Leon, if you don't mind" said Arthur, standing up. "I'd really like the opinion of someone that doesn't use  _magic_  to convince the judge."

He knew Morgause would react in flames (not literally, he hoped), so he stood up, ready to leave. Elena touched her wife lightly before taking him to the door.

"You didn't have to" she said, tightly.

"Are you sure she didn't enchant you to fall for her?" asked Arthur, as he did from time to time.

Elena smacked him in the arm, smiling.

"You think I'm a twat" she complained, before getting serious again. "Honestly, Arthur… It's just that… Uther doesn't know and I don't think…"

Arthur nodded, not wanting to get into that particular can of worms.

"I'm sure Leon will find it acceptable. It's just a precaution."

She hugged him for a long while – as Elena always did – and waved as he walked away.

He waited until he had driven from the house to vent his anger.

"THOSE LESBIANS!" he screamed, as Merlin answered the phone. "You got to come, Merlin. NOW."

"She's really nice" said Merlin, all apologetic. "I think…"

"Tell her you like to take it up your arse and leave!" said Arthur, wondering why the hell Merlin even was entertaining a girl.

He knew from the silence from the other side of the line that his friend had felt hurt, but there wasn't much he could say. It was the truth after all.

"You are my best friend" he offered, knowing it was at the same time a form of pleading, blackmailing and apologizing.

He could hear Merlin on the other side, talking to the girl.

"It's my friend's mother – she's in hospital."

Arthur laughed despite his anger – Merlin was a shitty liar, which was amazing considering all the things he hid from most people.

He turned the phone off, trying to concentrate in the traffic, but the whole thing just kept playing in his head. It wasn't that he completely hated Morgause – but she seemed to thrive in challenging his life. Arthur could bet this was some sort of plot to make him come out for his father, and he really didn't like to even think about it. He had known Morgause would be trouble since he first met her – Morgana's magic tutor from Oxford, also studying law and also a huge bitch. He had truly believed she was about to turn Morgana into a big fan of cunts, but it was so much worse than that. He had heard (and almost killed the messenger, he really rather not think about it, truly!) that Morgana had dabbled in it for some time before both got tired of it and moved to new things – or back to old habits, in Morgana's case, with that awful bloke she dated then, Valiant, and after a while, Morgause and Elena had become an item.

But Elena wasn't the real problem – Arthur didn't honestly believe that Morgause had enchanted her or anything, as weird as they were as a pair, he knew how much Elena loved to be taken care of, and in her own way, Morgause was fiercely protective of those she cared for. It had been before that – when Uther had found an internship spot for Morgause on his firm during Arthur's last summer before college. Morgause was too curious for her own good, and deeply organized, which couldn't be said about her boss. The idiot had left her in charge of organizing the papers, and it had coasted him his job – but not before Morgause came across some legal documents about Ygraine that changed his whole life.

Arthur had grown up thinking his mother's death was a fatality. He missed her, even though Uther had remarried while he was still a toddler, Nimueh wasn't the motherly type of person. He wondered what it would have been like if she had lived, and learned that no good could ever come from wondering, because he couldn't change the past. It was rare and sad, but Ygraine had reacted poorly to the labor, and her heart had given up. No one could have predicted it, right?

Except the documents were forms signed by his father – and mother – telling them that they could and should have expected it, that Ygraine should never have gotten pregnant again. Tons of papers that were signed to make it clear that they knew they were keeping the pregnancy despite medical advice against it, papers showing that Ygraine had been advised against getting pregnant after Morgana's birth. And Morgause – she hadn't lost any time in sharing her knowledge with Morgana and Arthur. He didn't believe it at first, but when she forced a confrontation between Arthur and Ygraine's late doctor, Geoffrey, he had been forced to explain the truth to him – that Uther had forbidden Ygraine to have an abortion, that he had bullied the doctors into caring for her, that he had believed until the very last minute that it was nonsense and that she would be fine until she lay dead.

Arthur remembered all too well how he came back home – raging against Uther, how he had jumped and hit his father for his idiocy, how angry he had been, kicking and punching Uther's smaller frame. He was blinded by his anger, and if Merlin hadn't forced him away from his father with magic, Arthur could have killed him with his bare hands.

Uther had forgiven him, and asked for forgiveness, but Arthur wasn't ready for it and spent the first two years of college without talking to his father. Nimueh would tell him off for it from time to time, and while he wanted to be just as pissed off with her – since she had known it all for ages, since she had been best friends with Ygraine, since she had stood up against him until her friend told her to leave it, that she would never give up her child – he couldn't. He had the distinct feeling that Nimueh had given Uther a much harder time for it than Arthur could even try to do.

Of course, it had gone sour for Morgause – she was kicked out, her boss as well, and Uther swore that she would never find employment again in the area. Also one of his father's silliest moves, since it started to alienate Morgana from him and it became much worse when Morgause used her many skills to try and destroy him. She didn't care about his money, not really, but she hated him for his lies with a passion that even Arthur couldn't truly understand. And Morgause was good, all Uther's actions had done was to make her deeply desirable for the opposing companies.

It had put both him and Morgana completely out of business law – Arthur had moved on to advertising and PR, but Morgana had managed to make Uther even more annoyed when she kept on studying law but decided to go for Human Rights internships and jobs. It could have been a phase, just a rebellion, but then she met Alvarr, and it became clear that she would never "get back to the right track", as Uther put it. Both had slowly come back to having a reasonable relationship with their father, but it would never be as close or one of trust. And even ten years later, Morgause still hated Uther as much as ever – and sometimes, Arthur thought she hated him as well.

As he stopped by the pub, his friend was already out, and got in the car in a matter of seconds.

"It's the opposite of childbirth – first you have the kid, then you get fucked" complained Arthur, without caring to explain. He saw that Merlin seemed a bit dazzled, and his friend didn't answer him as he usually did, still thinking.

"It's like in Age of Steel – I just met my wife from a parallel universe." Merlin said, and Arthur let out a barked laugh.

As much as he liked Merlin, he was a ridiculous bloke.

* * *

 

Freya had walked Mordred to the bus stop – ready to take his backpack back to her house after he left. Mordred tried not to think much about the people around as he changed his "sleeping over Freya's" shirt to the one she had chosen for him to go out that night.

He was nervous, even if he tried not to show it. Freya watched closely as the bus approached, signing over for it, and he turned to her and voiced what he had been thinking all day long in school.

"At school… They are all kids. They talk and then go home, and have a wank! I'm  _doing_  it" he said, hopping in the bus. "I'm  _really doing it_!"

She beamed at him and waved him off. He wished he felt as confident as he had sounded. He knew he had been just a shag – but it could be more, couldn't it? He'd go over and he's show up, and Arthur would pick him again, and see that Mordred really liked him. It had started as nothing, but it could go somewhere, right? He had taken Mordred to the hospital to see his newborn. He had asked for Mordred to come back even after he had made a complete fool of himself when they first went to his apartment. There were possibilities there.

He also felt like everyone around was staring at him, his blushed cheeks as he remembered last night. A quick check showed that it was just his imagination – people seemed to glace him naturally and not think much about it. For Mordred, thought, it seemed that it was written across his face, across his body, that Arthur was still deep inside him. He could feel the emptiness he had left, even if there were no physical marks. He could hear people thinking about their own business, and it all seemed small and unimportant – no one there could really understand how addictive Arthur Pendragon was or how he had changed Mordred.

As he came out of the bus, he remembered how scared he had been last night, and he still had no idea where he should go to find Arthur – or even if he would really be there – but it was as if last night had happened to someone else: he now knew what he was looking for, he could almost sense Arthur, and he knew deep down that if he only followed his instincts, they'd take him to the right place.

He had been told often that he was a strange boy, especially when he was young and couldn't control himself, but now he cherished those peculiar feels inside him, like a snake recoiling in his belly – they'd take him exactly where he wanted to be.

Feeling more confident than he would have believed possible last night, he walked into a pub – and there he was, in all his perfection: Arthur Pendragon, the King of Albion Street.


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin knew that after his conversation with Morgause, Arthur would want a night out, full of shots and drunken complaints before he pulled some gorgeous thing to take back to his loft. He called Lance on his way – it was always good to have sensible company around – and the three of them met in The Rising Sun.

Merlin bought the first round, in a display of how much he understood Arthur's pain (although he didn't, not really, they were being sensible, for god sake!) and they leaned against the pillars that divided the space with booths to the middle of the bar, where a tiny stage stood and there was some dancing space.

It was meant to be a nice, relaxing evening, so, of course, Morgana showed up. Arthur gave her a proper scowl as she came by, grinning a little manically, as she would do whenever her brother was in trouble.

"Hello, dad" she said in a sing song voice.

"I bet you knew it" he complained, and she merely grinned at Merlin and Lance.

"That you'd make a fool out of yourself, yes, I knew it. It doesn't take a genius to know it; you  _always_  make a fool out of yourself."

"You know why they chose me, right?" he said, smiling angrily at her. "Because I'm smart, rich and handsome as fuck."

Morgana laughed out loud at that, as did Merlin, and Lance suppressed a grin. Arthur looked at all of them, annoyed.

"I'd say they chose you because they couldn't use Morgana" he said, pointing the woman with his drink.

"I'm just spunk to them" said Arthur, sounding wounded. "I'm just a sperm donor, a money source. She said so, fucking Morgause."

"I bet she didn't" answered Morgana. "She isn't one to state the obvious."

Merlin spitted on his own drink, as he laughed, and Arthur looked betrayed. He shrugged as an apology.

"Besides, Elena will inherit Gwent Enterprises by herself" The woman pointed out, smartly. " _She_  doesn't need your money,  _your son_  does."

"Of course you'd side with them" complained Arthur. "You're more Morgause's sister than mine."

Morgana smirked in a way that made Merlin  _not_  want to know what she was thinking about. He was rather glad that she didn't voice his thoughts, for Lance spoke before she did, safely steering the conversation away from the siblings' bickering.

"Did you see him yet?"

Morgana face softened as she looked at him.

"He's  _adorable_ , looks a lot like Arthur when he was a newborn."

"You were three, you don't remember when I was born" he complained, and she didn't even care to answer that.

"They didn't say you were there" Lance pointed to both of them. "They said it was Vivian, Sophia, Morgause and Elena."

"I had left, of course" was Morgana's answer. "One day you'll find out that you are grownups and that you have to take care of the house, the children, work for a living…"

"You don't work for a living" interrupted Merlin, and she gave him an evil stare.

"… And that you're knackered after eleven pm."

"Where did you leave the boys?"

"My Mother is taking them to a holiday" said the woman, nicely. "They'd go over first thing this morning; I just dropped them a bit earlier. Unlike some people, I couldn't miss it."

Merlin thought that Morgana was being particularly pushy tonight, but ever since she had divorced, six months ago, her humor had being worse than usual and Arthur had always been her favorite punch bag.

"I  _didn't_ miss it" was his answer. "And she's  _not_  your mother."

Arthur was deeply touchy when his mother was mentioned; he was protective of his deceased mother in ridiculous ways. Even though Uther had started the relationship before Arthur's second birthday and remarried right after his third, Arthur never called Nimueh "mother" or anything other than simply "Nimueh". Morgana, on the other hand, had a very good relationship with her step mother, if a bit explosive. They looked much alike, and their personalities were also eerily similar. Of course, Morgana was also particularly gifted, and had Nimueh had dotted on Morgana for it, while Uther valued Arthur's hard work instead.

Neither Uther nor Nimueh knew how to be motherly or fatherly in usual ways, and hardly showed by words or touches how much they cared about the children they raised, but they were clearly proud of them. It was especially hard for Arthur, he looked too much like Ygraine to Uther's comfort, and was so physically different from them that at the age of eight he had voiced the idea that he had been found in a dumpster. Even as, after others pointed out, he begun to see the similarities in Morgana's and Ygraine's profile, and on how much he looked like Uther with certain expressions (such as the trade mark death glare of the Pendragon's), he begun to accept that he couldn't possibly be anyone else's child.

As the years passed, he saw also that Morgana and Nimueh's physical appearance only matched in the pale color of their skin against the darkness of their hair and, of course, in their special gifts – even their eyes were wrong, and as he and Merlin had grown to be friends, he told him that everyone that felt like family to him looked too much alike for it to be normal.

Merlin hadn't known whether to be elated or crushed at the sentence.

All those years later, he's going with elated.

(Merlin was a shitty liar to everyone else, but he fooled himself just fine.)

Morgana didn't seem to pay much attention to Arthur's complaints, and kept on talking to Lance about Gwydion. Merlin joined them – he had always liked children, and Morgana had named him godfather to her second son, even if they  _never_  made it to church out of principle. Arthur wasn't listening to them, he kept complaining, even if they weren't listening properly.

"I bet they get benefits, don't they, single mothers?" He nudged Morgana. "Don't you?"

"I'm  _not_  a single mother" she said, bitterly. "And I don't think Elena would be eligible to it anyway."

"Did Alvarr come back?" he asked, displaying his usual lack of touch.

Morgana merely raised her eyebrow at her brother, and spotted something far more interesting behind him.

"It's Karaoke night!" she said, clearly excited. "I  _must_  do a number!"

As she left, ignoring Arthur, Merlin saw that Lance was eyeing their friend with pity – which probably resembled his own features. It would never cease to amaze him how emotionally stunted his best friend was.

Soon enough Morgana was on the stage, having found a can-can styled skirt on their makeshift dressing room, a fake pearl necklace, and a random topper to finish her outfit as she climbed on the stage to sing her version of "Diamonds' are a Girl's Best Friend". Merlin couldn't help but smiling fondly at her, and Lance grinned at Arthur.

"She's a better gay man then we are."

Arthur merely scowled at them, not paying the slightest attention. Morgana wasn't over nearly as much as she did before becoming a mother, but many people still knew her, and she had her way with the crowd, engaging them on her presentation. As she left the stage, Merlin turned toward the door, only to be greeted by a most unwelcome vision.

"Guess what? Twelve o' clock" he said to Arthur, and Lance looked around.

"What?"

"Arthur's little chicken showed up."

Mordred had now spotted them and was walking towards them. Arthur hissed under his breath.

"His name is Mordred" added Merlin to his friend, and then he remembered Morgause. "Be nice to him. And I don't mean shag him!"

Arthur looked at him bewildered.

"Ok, everyone is having a go at me today!" he complained.

"Hey" said Mordred, reaching them, with a shy smile. "How's the baby?" he asked, politely.

"You can ask my solicitor!" said Arthur, walking away, even more annoyed now that Mordred had remembered him of what happened.

Merlin smiled at the boy, who was clearly crestfallen, trying to make it easier to deal.

"It's a touchy subject" he said, shrugging.

Mordred nodded, but didn't say anything else. He just stood there, as if he didn't know what to do once Arthur had left. Clearly he hadn't thought this one through. Soon a group of people was upon the stage, singing a mock version of "It's Raining Man", full of weird trinkets. Lance took one look at it and started laughing, and Mordred eased up a bit when he saw it. Soon Arthur was back with them, a drink in his hand and a smile on his face.

"What a mess" he said, laughing. "They are just ridiculous."

"It's a freak show" agreed Lance, smiling. "Look at that one" he said, pointing, and Mordred added up.

"She's a moron."

Merlin looked to the pointed woman, and couldn't avoid bursting out laughing, while Lance's eyes were as wide as plates, as he looked at the boy.

"It's his mother" he said, looking at Merlin.

The look on Mordred's face was confused for a second, before he answered.

"As if! A totally maniac like that."

Now Arthur joined Merlin on his fit of laughs, while Lance looked weary.

"It is, though" said Arthur, clapping Mordred's back.

Mordred's expression was something that should be kept for posterity. Merlin had never seen someone look so confused, shocked and embarrassed all at once.

"It's ok, she's plastered" offered Merlin, as Hunith screamed for him and he waved at her.

"Your  _mom_  is here?" said the boy, amazed, and Merlin nodded.

"She's out most nights" added Lance. "Everyone knows Hunith."

Mordred didn't seem to know exactly what to do with his hands or feet, but Merlin had to give the boy points for the effort to try and sound friendly.

"My mom wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this." He said, his voice trembling. "She'd kill me if she found out I was here. A few years ago, my cousin was getting married, and she didn't even open the invitation or anything, she said she wouldn't go to a wedding if neither bride would wear a dress, or if both would."

"Ah, but avoiding a lesbian wedding isn't homophobia" said Arthur. "It's just good taste".

Merlin laughed, and Lance did too, although he punched Arthur in the arm. He was very politically correct, Lance.

"Oh, right, your mother wouldn't like to see you laughing at that, right, Mistress LGBT Rights!" added Arthur, smiling at their friend.

"What about your mother?" asked Mordred, as innocent as they come.

Merlin flinched, and Lance got silent, and  _of course_  that was the exact moment Morgana decided to show up.

"She's still waiting for the golden boy to get married" she said, behind Mordred, and the boy turned around, startled.

"A drink" said Arthur, and as he left, Merlin knew he'd have his hands full this night.

* * *

Behind Mordred was the prettiest woman he had ever seen. She was absolutely perfect, like a porcelain doll, a model or an enchanted princess of a fairy tale. Her hair looked silky as it tumbled in dark waves contrasting to her pale skin and blue eyes. As they looked at each other, it felt a bit like the world had slowed down around them – there was a clear pull here, not in the same way he felt around Arthur, but something different, that he had never felt before. His magic seemed to flow outwards around her, snoozing her sides, and she smiled at him – a smile that would have been terrifying, if his extra senses weren't telling him that he was home.

"So, who are you then?" she said, putting her arm around his arm easily.

"He's Mordred" said Merlin, and he was thankful, for speaking seemed to be a bit too much right now. "Did Morgause talk to you about him? She met him yesterday."

"I see" said the woman, smiling at him. "I can imagine how excited she was."

Mordred felt like he was missing something in the conversation, but was too scared to say anything. He had felt his magic doing weird things during his night with Arthur, or in some occasions where he was threatened or scared, but this was something else – soft, nice, motherly.

"I'm Morgana" she offered, and he merely gaped. She tilted her eyebrow. "Arthur's sister. I dare say you met him."

He could only nod, and look around. The third guy wasn't there anymore, and somehow it seemed unreal that he was being held by someone named  _Morgana_  while a  _Merlin_  grinned at him.

"So, are you Alice's?" said Morgana, tilting her head to the left.

"What?" snapped Mordred, confused.

"I guess that's a no" she added, and looked at Merlin, smiling. "Oh, tell me we can keep him!"

Merlin shook his head in disbelief, and then sighed.

"Of course we can keep him, since you and Morgause seem to have fallen in love with him."

"We'll treat you nicely" said Morgana, her voice promising, and she seemed to be a moment away from pinching him too.

"I'm not a stray dog" he said, mildly annoyed.

Merlin laughed at this, and Morgana smiled at him.

"I bet you'd say differently if this was Arthur" said Merlin with a hint of bitterness.

Mordred felt the color rise to his cheeks, but didn't say anything, although Morgana laugh reached his ears.

"My brother will never change" she said, shaking her head. "I hope he didn't mess up with you too badly… Was it the first time?"

He was now completely mortified – had it been obvious? Had Arthur told that to everyone, as an anecdote? He looked down, unable to face her, until something touched his arm.

"She's not talking about  _that_ " Merlin's voice was soft and full of mirth. "Although certainly we have an answer about  _that_  now."

Mordred looked to where he thought Merlin hand rested, but there was nothing there – the guy was still leaning against the pillar, both hands inside his pockets. He snapped, looking at the other man, his eyes amazed, only one word resounding loudly in his mind:

' _What?'_

Morgana shook her head, letting go of his arm.

"Telepathic boy" she said, and Merlin agreed. "That was a bit loud, thankfully it wasn't about my dear brother."

"What?" he voiced now, absolutely surprised. He heard his voice crack a bit.

"It's ok" reassured Merlin. "It's going to be ok."

Mordred was scared – properly scared now.

"Was it the first time your…  _gifts_  manifested?" asked Morgana, her voice even.

"No" he said, shaking his head, and then, thinking better. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Morgana just smirked, and Merlin sighed.

"You're not fooling anyone, mate"

Mordred took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He had never met anyone that  _could_  hear him, it was generally the other way around.

"I… I really don't know what happened."

"Meaning you don't generally speak inside people's minds?" asked Merlin, grinning. "I try not to make a habit of it too."

He looked at both of them, feeling like a rabbit being cornered by a hungry pack, but Morgana's face was reassuring. She took his hand, pressing them tightly inside hers.

"We have a group… For  _gifted_  people to learn and practice…" she said, her voice calm. "We'd like you to join us. We can help you. It's not always easy to deal with those things, especially when they come to us so suddenly…"

"It didn't" he said, and then staggered around, looking for words. "I… I've always… It's not new" he added, lamely.

Morgana smiled at him once more, and he noticed that he had been trembling and fought to control it.

"Still, we'd like for you to join us" she said, looking at him like he really mattered. "At least once? You don't need to come back if you don't want to."

He looked at Merlin, unsure about what to do, and the other man nodded at him.

"Sure" he said, his voice tight. "I'll… come?"

It was the right thing to say – Morgana promptly squeezed him, and Merlin patted his arm. Around the same moment Arthur came back, being steered by the guy he hadn't been introduced to.

"Let's get a table" announced Merlin, walking further from the stage, and Mordred followed. He allowed himself to be sat down beside Morgana, as Arthur and Merlin got drinks.

"Did he run off?" asked Morgana, and the other man nodded.

"It's one of these days" was the answer. Merlin and Arthur were back, carrying pints for everyone. Mordred didn't usually drink but he didn't want to stand out, so he took a sip as Merlin and Arthur sat on the table, Merlin by his side. They all seemed to be waiting for him to say something, so he said the first thing that popped his mind.

"So, how did you guys met?"

This was good – it meant he could just hum and hear, he wouldn't be able to make a fool of himself. Morgana laughed at this.

"One day, I was playing happily, and my dad came around to tell me I'd have a little brother. I thought it would be good, but then it turned out to be Arthur."

They all laughed at that, even if it seemed a bit forced from Arthur's side.

"We met at school" said Merlin, shrugging. "Arthur and I, that is. He had just moved, the teacher introduced him, I lent him my notes, end of story."

"And then he ruined my first pair of Loubotins" added Morgana, smirking. "Puking dad's whisky after getting drunk during the afternoon."

They all laughed, and Merlin looked sorry.

"I had to work for the rest of school to pay her up" he said, and his eyes went wide. "And she threatened me with her freakish long claws."

"I didn't have claws" she said, showing her tongue. "It was a beautiful manicure."

"For Scary Spice, maybe" Arthur laughed at his sister, and then clapped his friend's back. "We actually met Lance because of his mother."

"What?" Mordred said, and then, he noted that this was probably his name. His life was getting just ridiculous.

"My mother is really… Vocal about lgbt rights" said Lance, a bit uncomfortable. "She came around to try and convince people to come to a manifestation. Arthur was as welcoming as ever."

"I'm charming" complained Arthur, and Merlin laughed with his drink on his mouth, causing pint to come out of his nose.

"You told her that you'd rather tie yourself up to her son than to the city hall" corrected Merlin.

"It's a compliment" Arthur tried to say, but they were all laughing at the memory.

"And he did it too" said Lance, smiling. "He tied himself to me and to street lamp to prove a point."

"That was later" interrupted Merlin.

"Still, he was true to his word."

"I don't think  _this_  was what he meant" said Merlin, tilting his head.

"I did it both ways, mate" added Arthur, and Merlin looked shocked, while Lance blushed. Mordred felt his heart break a little – was it something unfinished between Arthur and Lance? He couldn't possibly compare to the guy; Lance was tall, more to the muscular side, and with an easy latin sensuality that people like Merlin and Mordred could never hope to achieve.

"I really rather not remember that" said Lance, finally. "It was a complete disaster, and I'll never make that mistake again."

Mordred felt that he could breathe more easily now – he didn't doubt Lance's words, there was something fundamentally honest about the guy.

"I should move to London or New York" was Arthur's response, shaking his head. "I've had everyone here."

"You didn't have me" said Merlin, quickly, and Mordred couldn't avoid noticing the hopeful hint in the edge of his voice. He didn't need to turn around to know that Morgana was probably looking at her friend as she had looked at him earlier, like a lost puppy.

"I did, that one time" said Arthur, his gorgeous smile twisted into a provocation.

"What?" said Morgana, surprise clear in her voice. "I didn't know about this."

"It wasn't…" Merlin started, but Arthur cut him, speaking.

"It was just a few months after we moved over" he said, his voice holding the suspense. "We were what? Thirteen, fourteen? And Merlin had this magazine with Heath Ledger…"

"Not this story" complained Merlin, but Arthur took little notice.

"On his Conan clothes… All that leather, and it wasn't even proper leather, it was battered leather… And we got hard just by looking at it…"

"Come on" said Merlin, hiding his face.

"So I just went and opened up his zipper…"

"Oh My God, you had each other!" said Lance, thoroughly shocked.

"Let me finish it" said Arthur, bossy. "So I opened up his zipper, and pulled his dick out – nice one, by the way, Merlin…"

"Shut up" was all the response he got, and Mordred was at the same time horrified and amazed.

"And started giving him a nice slow wank…"

He stopped for a moment, for effect, and looked at them. Arthur knew just how to keep everyone's eyes on him.

"And just as I opened my trousers for him to be able to grab me too…. His mother opened the door."

It was easy to laugh with them, it was a good story, and Merlin looked completely mortified by it, while Arthur clearly didn't mind at all.

"It's not sex if you don't cum!" announced Merlin, shaking his head, and Morgana rose.

"That's as much shock as I can have for a night. I'll see you guys" she messed with Mordred's hair and with Arthur's, before leaving. Lance was still smirking.

"Now, Heath Ledger… You are showing your age" he said, easily. "He's been dead for half a decade."

"Why, how old are you?" asked Mordred, wondering it for the first time.

"How old do you think?" shot back Arthur, grinning. Mordred tried to do the math.

"Thirty-three?"

That led Lance and Merlin into a laughing fit, while Arthur looked angry.

"I'm twenty-nine!" he barked, crossing his arms.

"I'm sorry" said Mordred, and Arthur finished his pint.

"Beer" he said, and rose.

"Enjoy your last months before bladder deficiency starts" said Lance, still teasing, and he didn't get an answer.

"I'll turn thirty first!" said Merlin, smiling.

"Yeah, but you don't really count" said Lance, clapping his shoulder. "I've got to work", he said, standing up.

After being left alone, Mordred didn't really know what to say or do. It took them ten minutes to realize that Arthur wasn't coming back, and Merlin steered Mordred out of the bar.

"He always does that" he complained, under his breath, then got his wallet. "This will get you home, yeah?" he said, offering him some money. "You'll be alright?"

"I'll sleep over Freya" he said, tightly, and Merlin nodded.

He hailed a cab, and smiled at Mordred.

"I'm sorry… It's just… Look, Arthur isn't your boyfriend. He doesn't  _do_  boyfriends."

Mordred looked the man before speaking.

"You stay around him all the time."

"It's different… We go way back, but, Mordred, really, he's an ass."

Merlin opened the cab door, but Mordred just stared at him.

"So you're friends with an ass" he said, but Merlin didn't seem to mind. He hated Merlin for speaking that way about Arthur – it wasn't like that, and Mordred knew it. It had hurt, being talked to as if he didn't know what he was doing, and he wanted to make Merlin feel the same. "You never got to finish that wank, did you?"

That seemed to raise something hard inside of Merlin, and he looked at him sternly.

"Ok, little chicken, you said your piece, now off you go."

Merlin closed the cab door behind him, to send him home, but Mordred had other ideas.

He wasn't going to listen to a man that rather pine silently than do a move.

So he steered ordered the cab to where he wanted to be.

 


	7. Chapter 7

The fact that his night out had been ruined didn't mean that Arthur was ready to call it a night – there was still something in him that needed to be silenced, and nothing did it quite as well as a good shag. He sat by his computer, quickly logging into his favorite chat. It didn't take him long to find some good strangers wanting to "talk", and Arthur was more than fine with giving them a chance.

It took him a few tries until he found someone that was both attractive enough and close enough for the night, but as soon as he saw the picture loaded he knew he wouldn't regret it – and not only because he claimed to be a GoodFuck in his nick, but also because he was gorgeous. He gave GoodFuck his address and soon had his answer.

He didn't need to set up much for that kind of meeting, but still he liked to take a good shower and make sure that he had drinks ready. It did take a few minutes to get his hair into his favorite look – thoroughly shagged look – but it was nothing as fancy as some of his friends did (Lance had kept a long hair for a while and Arthur was absolutely sure that he blow dried it into perfection, even if he never admitted it. Maybe he had changed to a short haircut because of the teasing he got from Arthur for it).

Some twenty minutes later, he heard a ring on his intercom and buzzed it open immediately. Arthur opened the door and stood lazily as the elevator came up; his best charming smile on his face and his chest completely naked.

He was surprised to find himself facing Mordred.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, before shaking his head. "You know what, I don't care, you can't stay."

"I just wanted to… talk" said the boy, looking upset.

"Mordred,  _no_. There will be no talking, no feeling and no late night phone calls about love. You can't just show up like that."

"You let me in" there was hurt in his voice, but Arthur couldn't care less.

"I thought you were someone else – I'm expecting someone else."

That seemed to have the effect of making the kid realize that he was completely out of line, but still he stood there.

"I just want to…" but he never managed to finish the sentence, for someone had just arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

"Fuck" cursed Arthur, glaring at Mordred.

"The neighbor was coming out – she let me in" said the man, and he was even more good looking than in the picture – a charming square jaw sporting a light and fair stub, dark green eyes, a head taller than Arthur and more muscles than it was legal. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, he was  _leaving_ " answered Arthur, scowling. "There you go."

His night shag had just arrived to the floor, and was looking at them with some confusion on his face.

"Is it a three way? I don't care if it is a three way."

"No" said Arthur, and then he paused and looked at Mordred. "Is it?" Remembering just how insane the boy was with just one shag, he made up his mind. "No."

"Ok – he is a bit young" he said, smiling lightly.

"You go, Mordred."

"Who is this?" blurted the kid, wide-eyed.

"Mordred, this is GoodFuck" introduced Arthur, smiling pleasantly.

"My name is Percival – Percy." The guy seemed somewhat abashed about being called by his dirty internet nickname.

"Percival GoodFuck" corrected Arthur. Mordred seemed to be having a hard time in understanding he was supposed to just disappear.

"You…" he started, but Arthur didn't have the patience to it anymore.

"Have already told you to leave and didn't invite you here in the first place. You can see yourself out."

Mordred looked hurt, but at least he did turn his back and walked inside the elevator. Percival just stood there, looking somewhat concerned.

"I'm sorry about that – he is my stalker" explained Arthur.

"So what is he going to do? Walk home?" he wondered out loud. Arthur shrugged.

"He shouldn't have come in the first place – I'm sure he was properly put in a cab and sent home."

"He's in love" smiled Percival, teasing. "You are too alluring."

"You have  _no idea_ " Arthur walked towards the other man, smiling and ready to show him just why he found himself as the center of unwanted attention.

"I'm sure I'll find out – but are you letting him leave alone at this time of the night? He's just a kid."

Arthur's shoulders dropped and he knew he wasn't going to get any sort of peace if he didn't make sure that Mordred arrived home safely.

"Fine" he spat, picking up his shirt nearby. "There's porn on the shelf under the telly and whisky on the fridge. I'll be right back" he said, and started to go downstairs before he shouted back "And don't you steal anything!"

Of course, if he were going to be robbed, there was little he could do to hold a guy like Percival; who didn't seem that sort of person anyway. He ran down the stairs, and found Mordred walking, almost in the corner.

"Hey!" he said, and the boy didn't turn. "Mordred!" he yelled, again, and although he didn't look back, Arthur saw his shoulders tense.

Arthur jogged for a few steps and caught him through the shoulder.

"Do you mind?" he asked, turning the boy around. "I just left my flat in the hands of GoodFuck the stranger because of you."

"And?" asked Mordred, petulantly. Arthur cuffed him on the head as he called the cab company and told them to go and pick the boy up.

"You don't even know him!" he burst, finally. "He's no one! He doesn't even know you! He's… Ugly!"

Arthur merely raised an eyebrow at that, and Mordred flushed quickly, dropping his anger.

"He's not ugly…" he gave in, sadly. "He's hot, but… He just… I was there all night, and I  _really_  liked you."

"You are just a little boy" said Arthur, patiently. "What do you think you know about me?"

Mordred smirked, walking closer to him.

"I know that you like to be rimmed – I know how you like when I move my hips to the sides. I know…"

Arthur was smiling at him, because all those things were true, but they were also part of the problem. He didn't even try to hide his condescendence before he spoke.

"Mordred… I  _had_  you"

That made the boy stop and look at him, and Arthur could see he was finally starting to understand how it worked.

"So… That's it?"

Arthur took a deep breath, smiling at him.

"Yes. Why… Why do you think we all go to Albion Street, day after day? Do you think it is because we are pathetic and have nothing else to do – no place to go but empty flats?" He shook his head. "We could have – we could. But there's always someone else, someone new, someone better and fresh and ready to make you try things you never imagined – there's always someone."

"And I have already been the someone" said Mordred, nodding. "I see."

"And you were good – and I loved you then, but now, what I want is something else. You don't want me – you want to be me. You could pull by the dozens, but you are too worried with fairy tales – let me tell you something, Mordred: there are a lot of fairies in Albion Street, and none of them want to be your married-two-kids-and-white-fenced-house happily ever after. Leave your silly heterosexual girl notions behind and you might even have the time of your life."

The cab pulled in before Mordred could reply to any of that, and Arthur opened the door for him. He could see the hurt in the boy's face, but he had been honest, and there was nothing more he could do.

He walked up, trying not to think about what Mordred had said, but it was easier said than done – only to find that Percival was completely naked and lying on his belly on the bed. Arthur didn't know what to say as he looked at him.

"I thought it would be a good idea to get ready" said the man with a smile.

"Yeah, maybe another time" said Arthur, no longer in the mood – there was nothing that could fix the terrible day he had.

Percival looked hurt – but Arthur was used to it – and started to pick up his clothes, visibly annoyed but not saying anything.

But as he bend down to put his sneakers back on, giving Arthur a spectacular view of his rear, it made him think again.

Maybe the night could be saved after all.

Percy didn't even see him until he was tackled to the ground.

* * *

The hardest part of Arthur having bad days was that it made him have mad ideas that Merlin always knew he was going to regret – either soon enough, as it was the case with Mordred, or a few weeks later – and this was certainly the second case. He tried not to think much about it as he and Lance stood in the airport.

"I've been wanting to introduce you two for ages. You are going to love him – he's really fun, and has been single for  _ages_. He's  _dying_  for a boyfriend. Just… Ignore the voice – and the loudness. Oh, and don't let him get drunk – and if he  _does_  get drunk, run for the hills!"

Lance chuckled, and it didn't take long for them to spot who they were looking for, although they were spotted first by  _three_  men – although they had been expecting only two.

"MERLIN!" Roared his friend, getting him into a tight hug. "I have missed you!"

Merlin was sure that the whole airport had heard it, take you very much, but he was used to it and he  _had_  missed him too, so he allowed the grin to take full hold of his face.

"Gwaine, this is Lance – Lance, this is Gwaine and Leon."

"Nice handbag!" teased Gwaine, pointing down to where little Gwydion was napping on his car chair.

"Oh, it's a little Arthur" said Leon, beaming for a moment, before something made his face shift. "I bet I'm sterile."

Gwaine rolled his eyes.

"Does it matter? Are you thinking about getting a girlfriend?"

"God, no!" said Leon, seemed disgusted with the idea.

"So…" Gwaine shrugged, and Merlin pulled his friend closer.

"Lance – I have told you about him, he's the one that met David Beckham."

Gwaine seemed more confused than anything by the statement, and Lance was smiling pleasantly at both men.

"Nice. You, come here" said Gwaine, manhandling the third man, a gorgeous Asian type that seemed to have been on the beach for a healthy period of time. "This is Lee – my new boyfriend!"

The guy did say something in return, seeming a bit annoyed, but it was some sort of oriental language if his looks were to be trusted.

"He's gorgeous, shags like a rabbit and can't understand a word I say!" Gwaine confided in them, beaming. "He's really perfect. I met him in a club."

"Really? Which club?" asked Lance, politely.

"Mile High" answered Gwaine, cheekily and walked away as someone who expects to be followed.

He was not disappointed.

* * *

Merlin hadn't dropped the rest of them in Arthur's place for five minutes when his cellphone began to ring. He didn't even need to look or to hear the ringtone to know it was Arthur – and he didn't need to answer to know he was regretting the moment he had called and asked Leon and Gwaine to come see them.

"What is it?" he asked instead of hello.

"I don't have any vodka" whined Arthur on the other side, and Merlin chuckled.

"On the bottom of the fridge there's a drawer – there are three bottles inside, including a whole vodka."

"How do you even know that?" muttered Arthur, clearly looking it up. "We'll also need something to eat!"

"There are crackers on the top shelf of the corner cabinet" reminded Merlin, sighing.

"Come and pick them up, I don't like them – take them to you place" complained Arthur through the loud noises on the other side.

"Arthur" warned Merlin, tiredly. "You asked them to come."

"You should have stopped me!"

"And my house is really tiny, there's no way I can fit them there" Merlin went on, tiredly.

"At least bring us some tequila."

Merlin laughed.

"I'm taking Gwydeon to our dear lesbians" he said, looking at the baby on the rear mirror (he was blissfully asleep). "I'm going to take a while."

"I'm so fucked" moaned Arthur, and Merlin turned off as he was turning on Elena and Morgause's street.

None of them seemed to be surprised to see him there.

"Hey Merlin" chirped Elena, picking Gwydion from his arms. "How was it?"

"Just fine" assured Merlin, picking up from Arthur's car the large bag that had Gwydion stuff. "He slept when we got to the car, and he didn't cry during the night."

"Lucky you" she said, picking up the bag. "He's been having cramps!"

"Not last night" he announced in a sing-song voice, and smiled at Morgause, who shook her head.

"You used magic" she accused as Elena walked back inside.

"Just a little bit" confessed the man, smiling.

"Not a little bit – I know for a fact you'd have to keep him in your arms all night for it to work; Morgana talked me through it".

There was murder in Morgause's eyes, and Merlin was a bit at loss at what it was about.

"He dropped him with you – did he even spend any time with his own son?"

Merlin frowned, trying to find the right words.

"I'm not Morgana, I can do a lot of things she can't" Merlin gloated, and Morgause didn't seem to be any less infuriated.

"Don't deflect – he left Gwydion at your place and went out clubbing, didn't he?"

"I slept over, Morgause" he said, finally, tired. "We stayed in and watched tv."

"You and Arthur or you and Gwydion?" she asked, point blank, and the seconds that took Merlin to reply were enough for her to take her conclusions. "You're more of a father than he is."

Merlin took a deep breath, struggling not to argue with her – it was pointless. Anything he said she'd disregard as him trying to protect his friend, and everything he ididn't/i say was going to weight on his back for ages. In the end, he settled for not saying a word about Arthur.

"You accepted that – you were on board. You knew him well enough and you accepted it. You don't get to complain now."

Without allowing her the time to reply, he walked back into the car and drove off.

He was the one who was going to need tequila after all.

* * *

It was a crappy Saturday afternoon, and Mordred didn't know what to do anymore – he had spent the last five weeks hiding in his house, but it didn't seem to make much of difference to his feelings that insisted in taking hold of him.

He was home alone when the doorbell rang and he found Freya at the door.

"It's been going on long enough" she said, her hands on her hips. "Spill."

"There's nothing…" he begun, tiredly, but she shook her head.

"I'm not stupid, Mordred." She said and she looked threatening. "Come on – let's go and get ourselves some ice cream."

"It's not even warm" he complained, closing the door behind him.

"Yeah, but I have the feeling you'll need it" was her answer, with a soft smile.

From all the things he could complain about being awful in his world, Freya certainly wasn't one of them. She didn't press him to talk as they walked to the parlor, and didn't let him pay for his own ice cream. Only when they were sitting in the park, deserts almost finished, she said something again.

"So, what happened?"

Mordred shook his head, at a loss for words.

"He dumped me – Arthur – and he laughed at my face. He doesn't… I don't know."

Freya creased her brow, looking at him.

"Oh, don't be like that. When my boyfriend dumped me, I didn't mop around, I moved straight to the next one" she said, confident.

"What boyfriend?" was all Modred could ask – they had lived across the street from each other for their whole lives and he had never seen her dating.

"Oh, it was in kindergarten" she said, laughing, and he couldn't help joining her. "Anyway, the point stands."

"It's not that easy…" he started, but Freya wasn't easily convinced.

"Albion Street – it's like, a whole world. You are good looking and you'll find yourself someone in no time, you'll see."

"I can't go there" complained Mordred, his voice strangled. "Arthur will be there – he'll be laughing…"

"Tell him to sod off" she said, as if it was as simple as that. "Would they let me in?"

"Why, yes!" said Mordred, confused. "Why wouldn't…"

"So, it is settled: I'm going with you. Tonight – we're hitting the streets, my friend, and we'll find you a good match."

And when Freya was as excited as that, it was hard to disagree – and impossible to contradict, so, there was nothing for him to do but to accept it and obey.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it took me so long - I was quite depressed through the last Merlin season, and I felt it was hard to write such a light-hearted story. Hopefully, it won't take so long to update again.


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